Laser machining tool and workpiece machining method

Abstract

A laser machining tool that performs laser machining on a plate-shaped workpiece includes a table including protrusions and supporting the workpiece on upper ends of the protrusions, a laser head to perform boring machining by irradiating a laser beam along an outline of a hole to be formed in the workpiece on the table, a transporter to transport the workpiece that has undergone laser machining, and a rod-shaped tool to force out slag remaining in the hole. The workpiece is transported by the transporter until the hole is at a processing position including a discharge space for the slag, outside and below the table as seen in a plan view, and the slag remaining in the hole is forced out by the rod-shaped tool, at the processing position.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A laser machining tool that performs laser machining on a plate-shaped workpiece, the laser machining tool comprising:
 a table that includes a plurality of protrusions and that supports the workpiece on upper ends of the protrusions;   a laser head to perform boring machining by irradiating a laser beam along an outline of a hole to be formed in the workpiece on the table;   a transporter to transport the workpiece that has undergone laser machining; and   a rod-shaped tool to force out slag remaining in the hole; wherein   the workpiece is transported by the transporter until the hole formed by the boring machining is arranged at a processing position including a discharge space for the slag, outside and below the table as seen in a plan view; and   the slag remaining in the hole is forced out by the rod-shaped tool, at the processing position.   
     
     
         10 . The laser machining tool according to  claim 9 , further comprising a secondary machining tool to perform secondary machining on the hole after the slag has been forced out by the rod-shaped tool. 
     
     
         11 . The laser machining tool according to  claim 10 , wherein either one of the rod-shaped tool and the secondary machining tool is selected and is positioned at the processing position. 
     
     
         12 . The laser machining tool according to  claim 9 , further comprising an annular structure positioned to sandwich the workpiece with the rod-shaped tool and into which the rod-shaped tool can be inserted; wherein
 a plurality of pairs of one unit of the rod-shaped tool and one unit of the annular structure are provided, and one of the plurality of pairs is selected for use based on a size of the hole.   
     
     
         13 . The laser machining tool according to  claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured or programmed to control operations of the rod-shaped tool; wherein
 the controller is configured or programmed to cause an operation of forcing out the slag by the rod-shaped tool to be executed for all of the holes formed in the workpiece.   
     
     
         14 . The laser machining tool according to  claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured or programmed to control operations of the rod-shaped tool; wherein
 the controller is configured or programmed to cause an operation of forcing out the slag by the rod-shaped tool to be executed for the hole in the workpiece that is formed directly above one of the plurality of protrusions.   
     
     
         15 . The laser machining tool according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a controller configured or programmed to control operations of the rod-shaped tool; and   an imager to capture an image of the hole formed by the boring machining; wherein   the controller is configured or programmed to determine from an image captured by the imager whether or not the slag remains in the hole and to cause an operation of forcing out the slag by the rod-shaped tool to be executed for the hole if the slag is determined to be remaining in the hole.   
     
     
         16 . A workpiece machining method for machining a plate-shaped workpiece by laser machining, the method comprising:
 supporting the workpiece on upper ends of a plurality of protrusions provided on a table;   performing boring machining by irradiating a laser beam along an outline of a hole to be formed in the workpiece on the table;   transporting the workpiece by a transporter until the hole formed by the boring machining is at a processing position including a discharge space for slag, outside and below the table as seen in a plan view; and   forcing out the slag remaining in the hole by the rod-shaped tool, at the processing position.